Obstructive sleep apnea is a prevalent condition often treated surgically with palatoplasty, which improves airway patency and reduces apneic events. However, postoperative pain and airway discomfort following palatoplasty can be significant, leading to delayed oral intake, increased opioid consumption, and prolonged recovery. Combining an ultrasound-guided glossopharyngeal nerve block with topical airway anesthesia may provide synergistic analgesia and support a safer recovery profile.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a prevalent condition often treated surgically with palatoplasty, which improves airway patency and reduces apneic events. However, postoperative pain and airway discomfort following palatoplasty can be significant, leading to delayed oral intake, increased opioid consumption, and prolonged recovery. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols aim to accelerate functional recovery and reduce perioperative morbidity. Combining an ultrasound-guided glossopharyngeal nerve block with topical airway anesthesia may provide effective analgesia and support a smoother recovery profile.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
80
Glossopharyngeal nerve block using ultrasound guidance after induction of general anesthesia plus topical anesthesia before surgical incision.
The patient will receive intravenous fentanyl and non opioids analgesics (acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) with general anesthesia.
Zagazig university hospital
Zagazig, Al-Sharkia, Egypt
The recovery time
The time from from inhalational anesthetic discontinuation to the first response to verbal command.
Time frame: 1 hour
Additional intraoperative analgesia
Additional doses of intraoperative fentanyl.
Time frame: 4 hours
Postoperative pain assessment
Postoperative pain assessment by the 10 points Visual Analogue Scale at at rest and during swallowing with 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst pain.
Time frame: The first 24 hours postoperative.
Total rescue analgesia
Total rescue analgesic dose needed during the first postoperative 24 hours.
Time frame: The first 24 hours postoperative.
Incidence of complications
Incidence of any complications related to nerve block or local anesthesia such as hematoma formation or local anesthetic systemic toxicity.
Time frame: 4 hours
Quality of recovery
Quality of recovery assessed by the Quality of recovery score-15 at the end of the first 24 hours postoperative. The Quality of recovery score ranges from 0 to150, with higher scores indicate better recovery.
Time frame: The first 24 hours postoperative.
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